A fresh and engrossing look at the Crusades captures the everyday experience of those who actually took part in the campaign. Drawing on a variety of sources, Ronald C. Finucane, a distinguished professor of history, asks what inspired the recruits who marched across Europe to fight the "infidel," as well as those they fought against. What did it feel like to be a crusader? How did the long marches, bad food, and lack of medicine affect the average armed pilgrim? What image of the enemy did each side carry into battle? What role did women play, and how did the forces act on and off the field? It's a study that still resonates strongly in our world today.